Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

OSHA requires employers to use personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce employee exposure to hazards when engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective. Employers are required to determine all exposures to hazards in their workplace and determine if PPE should be used to protect their workers.

Skin and Body Protection

Verify that your gloves are compatible with your specific application, process and materials before using them.

Most companies have glove compatiblity charts available online.

Change your gloves whenever they appear soiled or worn; be alert for permeation of your gloves by the chemicals you are using. Change gloves immediately if permeation occurs.

Be alert to any sensation of numbness, or tingling of your fingers or hands when working with chemicals. Remove gloves, wash thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention for assistance.

*Latex gloves have been implicated in the exacerbation of latex allergies; powdered latex gloves have been shown to contain larger amounts of the latex protein allergen than non-powdered latex gloves. If you suspect that you may have an allergy to latex, or have a propensity for allergic reactions and skin rashes, avoid the use of latex gloves.

Skin and body protection involves the use of protective clothing to protect individuals from chemical exposure. Determine clothing needed for the chemical being used, as protective garments are not equally effective for every hazardous chemical. Some chemicals will permeate a garment in a very short time, whereas others will not.

The basic and most effective forms of protection are gloves and lab coats.

Protect exposed skin surfaces when there is a reasonable anticipation of a splash.

Open toed shoes and sandals are not permitted in labs.

Even when there is minimal danger of skin contact with an extremely hazardous substance, lab coats, coveralls, aprons, or protective suits should be utilized. These garments should not leave the lab.